Apparatus for rapid solution and/or suspension of powdered solids



Dec. 25, 1951 Y D. D. PEEBLES ETAL 2,580,316

' APPARATUS FOR RAPID SOLUTION AND/OR SUSPENSION OF POWDERED SOLIDSFiled April 12, 1949 /9- I 4L -I/ \\r\1 I 12 7 35 \33 \3/ INVENTORSDAV/0 0. PEEBLES a uY P. HE/VSLE) /7 a0 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 25, 1951UNITED STA APPARATUS FOR RAPID SOLUTION AND/R SUSPENSION OF POWDEREDSOLIDS poration of Delaware ApplicationApril 12, 1949, Serial No. 87,082

This invention relates generally to apparatus for the resuspension offine powders in fluid mediums. More particularly, it relates to manuallyoperative apparatus for the reconstitution of milks.

In the past it has been common practice to use various high speed pumpsand electrically powered mixers to wet and to suspend powdered materialsin fluid mediums. One of the better known of the smaller type units isthe Waring Blender.

There are many disadvantages to such equipment, including, for example,a large minimum capacity, incorporation of large volumes of air whichresults in an objectional foam, failure to disintegrate powderagglomerates with the result that unwetted large particles areorganoleptically detectable and elimination of the particles isimpossible when reconstituting a small volume of fluid unless themixture is recirculated many times. Inaddition, these mixers areexpensive to buy and expensive to run so that they are not equipmentregularly available in the home. Y

It is an object of the present invention to provide new apparatus forsuspension of powdered material which will avoid the vdiii'iculties andlimitations of prior apparatus as pointed out above.

It is another object of the invention to provide manually operableapparatus capable of producing smooth textured fluids.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus capable ofproducing the small quantities of fluids such as a pint or quart whichare useful in the home.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription in which one embodiment of the invention has been set forthin detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is an assembly drawing of one embodiment of this inventionshowing the top and bottom cut away to show the parts in section;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectionshowing the piston and one form of unitfor causing turbulence;

Figure 3 is a view 3-3 showing the bottom of the plunger in the casing;

Figure 4 is a plan view of another disc;

Figure 5 is a plan view and a partial assembly of the turbulence unitshown in Figure 2, as seen along 5--5;

Figure 6 is an isometricview e; the turbulence unit ofFigure 5;

6 Claims. (Cl. 259

, Figure '7 is a vertical section of the unit of Figures 5 and 6 showingthe relationship of the free moving parts to the base plate or disc; and

Figure 8 is an isometric view of the bottom retainer which holds aturbulence and fluid directing unit in place.

Briefly stated the present invention comprises a hollow body memberwhich acts as a mixing and wetting chamber, a piston member designed tosweep substantially the entire length of the cylinder and capable ofexcluding air regardless of piston stroke direction and an elementcapable of causing turbulent liquid flow at the liquid inlet to thecylinder.

In practicing this invention advantage is taken of the discoveryconstituting the invention that powder held as an enclosed dry mass canbe prevented from adhering into a doughy mass if subjected to agitationat the moment of wetting.

The apparatus of the invention is especially adapted to carry out aprocess wherein the powder is contained as a mass completely fillingthat portion of an elongated cylinder which is adjacent the liquidinlet, then liquid is drawn into the cylinder from an external containerwith such turbulence that the powder is agitated and moved while beingwetted following which action the mixture is ejected from the cylinderthrough the liquid inlet as a smooth textured fluid.

The tubular or cylindrical member may be constructed of any suitablematerial which can be finished to present a relatively smooth innersurface. Choice of a ratio of cylinder length to diameter is a matter ofconvenience and for home use small ratios are preferred as a means ofavoiding awkward sizes. Naturally the only limitation on diameter isthat the pressures generated by the piston not exceed those which areeasily applied by hand.

When using a free-acting piston 0f the type hereinafter described,difficult-to-apply pressure is never reached until ratios oflength-of-piston to diameter are less than one. Stainless steel is anacceptable material of construction for the above described cylinder butfor convenience of light weight, non-breakability, ready visible checkon cleanlinessand the like, a clear wall cylinder prepared from a resinmaterial such as methyl methacrylate resin is preferred. A furtheradvantage of a clear wall cylinder is that the cylinder can he graduatedto indicate quantities of powder tobe utilized with known volumes 0fluid.

Referring to that form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,it consists of a tubular body or housing l open at the ends II' and 12.The housing It is provided adjacent the ends H and H with suitable meanspreferably identical, for connection to hereinafter described associatedparts. For example, the housing may be provided with external threads i3and I4. Other conventional coupling means can be provided if desired, asfor example, clamping flanges.

The threaded portion [4 of housing In is engaged by an internallythreaded retainer cap 15 also shown in Figure 8 which is provided withintegrally formed feet I6. The head I! of the retainer cap i is providedwith an aperture l8,

which serves as both chamber inlet and outlet for fluid. The remainingportion of the head I! of the cap provides a shoulder l9 adapted tooppose the end [2 of the cylinder l0 and releasably hold an elementdesigned to create turbulence, in place therebetween.

This turbulence-creating element may take any one of a number of formsor combinations thereof. Figure 4 represents a simple type of element.This element comprises a flat orifice pla e or disc 2| provided with aplurality of ports 22. Ports 22 are generally prepared as radiallyextending slots angled at an acute angle to a line perpendicular to theplane of the disc. Such ports are set for example, at a 60 degree angleto the radial axis.

The agitation action referred to is that which results from the angledflow of liquid through the ports, the combined radial angled flow ofwhich creates a vertical action up through the mixing chamber.

This turbulence action may be augmented by placing between the cap andthe disc a standard small mesh wire screen unit, for example, a 20 meshwire screen. While such a screen unit is not necessary, it is an aidwhen it is desirable to use relatively large ports to minimize build upof pressure with large pistons of the type to be described hereinafter.With relatively small ports in the greater number that may be insertedin the same size disc, the liquid action through the ports will givesufficient turbulence to insure agitation to prevent caking anddischarge of ag glomerates of partially wetted powder.

Figures 2, 6 and '7 illustrate a second unit which can be used as theelement generatin turbulence at the liouid inlet. This unit comprises anorifice plate 3! similar to disc 2! described above, provided with anannular ring 32.

At the axial center of plate 3| is carried a sha t 33. Shaft 33 supportstwo rotatable e ements 34 and 35. the elements being mounted on oppositesides of plate 3!. The rotatable elements 3' and 35 have one or moreextending arms 36. The extending arms 36 are formed preferably as radialblades having the face set at an acute angle to the radial axis.

Inside the housing In there is mounted a piston member Ml which isillustrated in Figures 2 and 3. Piston member 49 comprises a shaft orstem 4! of suitable length with relation to the length of the housing lll.

Shaft M is arranged co-axial with the housing 10 and extends to theexterior of the housing. The exterior end of shaft 44' is provided withsuitable means 42 for releasably attaching a handle as as for example,threads adapted to cooperate with an internally threaded handle 43. Theinterior end of shaft 4| is provided with a support M. for a flexiblesealing means 45.

Free action by the piston member is neces:

sary to successful operation. The sealing means must operate tightlywithin the housing I!) with air on one side of the piston and stillprevent leakage of air into product being mixed, otherwise objectionablefroths are generated instead of smooth textured liquids. The instantdesign meets all of the above requirements, and the particulararrangement has other uses than in the instant combination, as forexample, in grease guns, and the like.

The support comprises a central hub section 46 axially aligned with theshaft 4! carrying two radially extending disc members 41 and 48. Thedisc members 41 and 48 are preferably thicker at the base where theyjoin hub 45 and taper to any desired peripheral thickness. Discs 4'! and48 are separated at the point of juncture with the hub 46 by at leastthe thickness of the sealing means 45. Disc 48 is preferably perforatedas at 49, shown in Figure 3, to insure quick response of the sealingmeans to change in direction of the plunger stroke.

sealing means 45 may consist of one or more concentric rings whose innerdiameters are equal to the diameter of the hub 65. The sealing means 45may be of any resilient composition such as natural or synthetic rubberand the like.

Shaft 41 is maintained in axial alignment by a cap 50. Referring toFigure 1, it will be seen that this cap 50 comprises a hub section 5:and a rim section 52 joined by suitable connecting means 53, whichallows for free passage of air. Rim section 52 is internally threaded at54 to receive the threaded section l3 of housing 10.

Hub section 5| is axially aligned with housing [0 and adapted forsliding fit with the shaft 4!, thus acting as a guide.

The apparatus described above may be assembled in the following manner.Shaft 45 is passed through the hub 5! of cap 50 and the handle 43threaded into place. A rubber ring 45 is fitted into the space betweendisc members 41 and 48. This rubber fitted piston is inserted in thehous ing l0 and secured by the cap 56. At the bottom of the housing, asuitable turbulence mem-' ber such as described above, aloneor togetherwith a suitably designed fine mesh screen, is clamped securely in placeby means of retainer cap [5.

When this apparatus is to be used, for exampie, to reconstitute milk insmall quantities, the piston is moved to the desired graduation mark.The retainer cap 15 and element 30 are then removed and the portion ofthe housing in between the piston and end of the housing is filled withmilk powder. The cap anad element 35 are again fastened in place.

Next the powder filled end of the housing is inserted into a containerof water. This container should hold the quantity of water required togive reconstituted milk of normal solids: content. concentric ring ofwater rises along the chamber wall as well as rising with a verticalaction: through the agitated powder. With the down-- ward thrust of theplunger the mixture is ex-- pelled.

When reconstituting small quantities of pow-- der, the expelled liquidwill be a smooth textured fluid. When using the maximum quantities ofpowder for which the apparatus is designed, the plunger may have to bereciprocatedtwo or three times to insure complete suspension of all ofthepo-Wder held in the housing.

Sanitation isan important consideration in.

As the plunger is drawn upward a the handling of foods and the ease withwhich the above apparatus can be cleaned and sterilized ofiers manyadvantages. The apparatus is self cleaning if clean hot water is drawninto and expelled from the housing It as in normal oper ation.

Further, when utilizing a suificiently long shaft 4|, the piston, afterremoval of cap I5, can be pushed from the housing thus exposing thepiston for brushing and permitting water to be run through the housingfor cleaning.

In addition, if complete disassembly is desired, only three threadedconnections, the two caps and the handle, all of which are outside themixing chamber, must be separated. With the present invention, uponremoval of the two cap members the interior of the housing is left fullyaccessible and without obstructing barriers.

Because of the features described above, the apparatus is particularlyuseful in the handling of fluid food products.

Although the present invention has been described in relation to theillustrated preferred form of apparatus, it should be understood thatthe invention is not limited to the apparatus described, but includessuch modifications and equivalents as would occur to one versed in theart.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for reconstituting powdered milk which comprises acylindrical housing, identical releasable means for attaching caps atboth ends of said housing, a cap for one end of said housing carrying anaxial guide member for cooperation with an operating piston stem, anoperating piston stem extending into the housing through said guidemember, releasable means carried by the portion of the stem outside thehousing for efiecting movement of the stem, a low-frictional-resistancepiston member carried by the inner end of said stem and a cap for theother end of said housing securing means to said housing having radiallypositioned apertures angled transverse to a vertical plane passingthrough the radial axis of said inlet means for simultaneously creatingturbulent and vortical flow of liquid as it enters and is ejected fromthe housing.

2. An apparatus for converting liquids and powdered solids to smoothtextured fluids which comprises a housing, a piston member adapted witha stem for manual operation, sealing means in contact with said housingand supported by said piston, releasable apertured retainer meansmounted on one end of said housing, a disc positioned between saidretainer means and said housing having ports therein radially positionedand angled to the vertical axis.

3. An apparatus for converting liquids and powdered solids to smoothtextured fl-uids which comprises a housing, a piston member adapted witha stem for manual operation, sealing means in contact with said housingand supported by said piston, releasable apertured retainer meansmounted on one end of said housing, liquid inlet means positionedbetween said retainer means tending discs of slightly smaller diameterthan the piston chamber bore positioned on said hub and defining a spacetherebetween of greater width at the periphery ofsaid discs than attheir juncture with said hub, and resilient annular sealing meanscarried between said discs for sealing against bypass at the piston walland cooperating with said hub for sealing against bypass of fluid at thehub.

5. An apparatus for converting liquids and powdered solids to smoothtextured fluids which comprises a housing, piston means carryingresilient means relatively air tight regardless of the direction ofpiston movement, multiple liquid inlet means at one end of the housingradially positioned and angled transverse to a vertical plane extendingradially and passing through the radial axis of said inlet means tocreate turbulent vortical flow of liquid as it enters and leaves thehousing.

6. A low-frictional-resistance piston for relatively low pressuresystems which comprises an operating piston stem, said stem being formedwith an axially aligned hub section, two radially extending discs ofslightly smaller diameter than the piston chamber bore positioned onsaid hub and defining a space therebetween of greater width at theperiphery of said discs than at their juncture with said hub, andresilient annular sealing means carried between said discs *or sealingagainst bypass at the piston wall and 00- operating with said hub forsealing against bypass of liquid at the hub.

DAVID D. PEEBLES. GUY P. HENSLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,367,002 Awiszus Feb. 1, 19211,498,788 Deming June 24, 1924 1,523,085 Schamm Jan. 13, 1925 1,597,271Fleek Aug. 24, 1926 2,166,437 Howie et al July 18, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 17.788 Great Britain Dec. 5, 1888 326,854 GreatBritain Mar. 21, 1930

